Integrating spatial data with computing infrastructure and field application

A significant portion of government agencies\u27 activities require mobile data collection and analysis in the field. To accommodate such tasks, various data sources are involved to provide the supporting information. The data integration, especially spatial data integration, in these applications turns out to be a big issue due to the multitude and heterogeneity of possible data sources. An aim of our research was to develop a flexible and extensible infrastructure to facilitate the field applications with integrated data sources. New designs have been proposed to treat heterogeneous data sources as a set of object views. This object view approach helps to integrate multiple data sources into an existent object-oriented view system. This research also goes a step further from the previous version of infrastructure in terms of extending data processing and communication capabilities. The oracle spatial database has been included as a new type of spatial data source. The CORBA-based client-server model is also implemented as another communication resort for the infrastructure to interact with the data access component

An integrated modeling framework for infrastructure system-of-systems simulation

Design of future hard infrastructure must consider emergent behaviors from cross-system interdependencies. Understanding these interdependencies is challenging due to high levels of integration in high-performance systems and their operation as a collaborative system-of-systems managed by multiple organizations. Existing modeling frameworks have limitations for strategic planning either because important spatial structure attributes have been abstracted out or behavioral models are oriented to shorter-term analysis with a static network structure. This paper presents a formal modeling framework as a first step to integrating infrastructure system models in a system-of-systems simulation addressing these concerns. First, a graph-theoretic structural framework captures the spatial dimension of physical infrastructure. An element's simulation state includes location, parent, resource contents, and operational state properties. Second, a functional behavioral framework captures the temporal dimension of infrastructure operations at a level suitable for strategic analysis. Resource behaviors determine the flow of resources into or out of nodes and element behaviors modify other state including the network structure. Two application use cases illustrate the usefulness of the modeling framework in varying contexts. The first case applies the framework to future space exploration infrastructure with an emphasis on mobile system elements and discrete resource flows. The second case applies the framework to infrastructure investment in Saudi Arabia with an emphasis on immobile system elements aggregated at the city level and continuous resource flows. Finally, conclusions present future work planned for implementing the framework in a simulation software tool.American Society for Engineering Education. National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowshi

An Architecture for Integrated Intelligence in Urban Management using Cloud Computing

With the emergence of new methodologies and technologies it has now become possible to manage large amounts of environmental sensing data and apply new integrated computing models to acquire information intelligence. This paper advocates the application of cloud capacity to support the information, communication and decision making needs of a wide variety of stakeholders in the complex business of the management of urban and regional development. The complexity lies in the interactions and impacts embodied in the concept of the urban-ecosystem at various governance levels. This highlights the need for more effective integrated environmental management systems. This paper offers a user-orientated approach based on requirements for an effective management of the urban-ecosystem and the potential contributions that can be supported by the cloud computing community. Furthermore, the commonality of the influence of the drivers of change at the urban level offers the opportunity for the cloud computing community to develop generic solutions that can serve the needs of hundreds of cities from Europe and indeed globally.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Smart Geographic object: Toward a new understanding of GIS Technology in Ubiquitous Computing

One of the fundamental aspects of ubiquitous computing is the instrumentation of the real world by smart devices. This instrumentation constitutes an opportunity to rethink the interactions between human beings and their environment on the one hand, and between the components of this environment on the other. In this paper we discuss what this understanding of ubiquitous computing can bring to geographic science and particularly to GIS technology. Our main idea is the instrumentation of the geographic environment through the instrumentation of geographic objects composing it. And then investigate how this instrumentation can meet the current limitations of GIS technology, and offers a new stage of rapprochement between the earth and its abstraction. As result, the current research work proposes a new concept we named Smart Geographic Object SGO. The latter is a convergence point between the smart objects and geographic objects, two concepts appertaining respectively to

Modular System for Shelves and Coasts (MOSSCO v1.0) - a flexible and multi-component framework for coupled coastal ocean ecosystem modelling

Shelf and coastal sea processes extend from the atmosphere through the water column and into the sea bed. These processes are driven by physical, chemical, and biological interactions at local scales, and they are influenced by transport and cross strong spatial gradients. The linkages between domains and many different processes are not adequately described in current model systems. Their limited integration level in part reflects lacking modularity and flexibility; this shortcoming hinders the exchange of data and model components and has historically imposed supremacy of specific physical driver models. We here present the Modular System for Shelves and Coasts (MOSSCO, http://www.mossco.de), a novel domain and process coupling system tailored---but not limited--- to the coupling challenges of and applications in the coastal ocean. MOSSCO builds on the existing coupling technology Earth System Modeling Framework and on the Framework for Aquatic Biogeochemical Models, thereby creating a unique level of modularity in both domain and process coupling; the new framework adds rich metadata, flexible scheduling, configurations that allow several tens of models to be coupled, and tested setups for coastal coupled applications. That way, MOSSCO addresses the technology needs of a growing marine coastal Earth System community that encompasses very different disciplines, numerical tools, and research questions.Comment: 30 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Geoscientific Model Development Discussion

UK utility data integration: overcoming schematic heterogeneity

In this paper we discuss syntactic, semantic and schematic issues which inhibit the integration of utility data in the UK. We then focus on the techniques employed within the VISTA project to overcome schematic heterogeneity. A Global Schema based architecture is employed. Although automated approaches to Global Schema definition were attempted the heterogeneities of the sector were too great. A manual approach to Global Schema definition was employed. The techniques used to define and subsequently map source utility data models to this schema are discussed in detail. In order to ensure a coherent integrated model, sub and cross domain validation issues are then highlighted. Finally the proposed framework and data flow for schematic integration is introduced

From buildings to cities: techniques for the multi-scale analysis of urban form and function

The built environment is a significant factor in many urban processes, yet direct measures of built form are seldom used in geographical studies. Representation and analysis of urban form and function could provide new insights and improve the evidence base for research. So far progress has been slow due to limited data availability, computational demands, and a lack of methods to integrate built environment data with aggregate geographical analysis. Spatial data and computational improvements are overcoming some of these problems, but there remains a need for techniques to process and aggregate urban form data. Here we develop a Built Environment Model of urban function and dwelling type classifications for Greater London, based on detailed topographic and address-based data (sourced from Ordnance Survey MasterMap). The multi-scale approach allows the Built Environment Model to be viewed at fine-scales for local planning contexts, and at city-wide scales for aggregate geographical analysis, allowing an improved understanding of urban processes. This flexibility is illustrated in the two examples, that of urban function and residential type analysis, where both local-scale urban clustering and city-wide trends in density and agglomeration are shown. While we demonstrate the multi-scale Built Environment Model to be a viable approach, a number of accuracy issues are identified, including the limitations of 2D data, inaccuracies in commercial function data and problems with temporal attribution. These limitations currently restrict the more advanced applications of the Built Environment Model

Modeling emergency management data by UML as an extension of geographic data sharing model: AST approach

Applying GIS functionality provides a powerful decision support in various application areas and the basis to integrate policies directed to citizens, business, and governments. The focus is changing toward integrating these functions to find optimal solutions to complex problems. As an integral part of this approach, geographic data sharing model for Turkey were developed as a new approach that enables using the data corporately and effectively. General features of this model are object-oriented model, based on ISO/TC211 standards and INSPIRE Data Specifications, describing nationwide unique object identifiers, and defining a mechanism to manage object changes through time. The model is fully described with Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagram. This can be a starting point for geographic data providers in Turkey to create sector models like Emergency Management that has importance because of the increasing number of natural and man-made disasters. In emergency management, this sector model can provide the most appropriate data to many "Actors" that behave as emergency response organizations such as fire and medical departments. Actors work in "Sectors" such as fire department and urban security. Each sector is responsible for "Activities" such as traffic control, fighting dire, emission, and so on. "Tasks" such as registering incident, fire response, and evacuating area are performed by actors and part of activity. These tasks produce information for emergency response and require information based on the base data model. By this way, geographic data models of emergency response are designed and discussed with "Actor-Sector-Activity-Task" classes as an extension of the base model with some cases from Turkey

Spatial Complex Network Analysis and Accessibility Indicators: the Case of Municipal Commuting in Sardinia, Italy

In this paper a contribution is presented with respect to accessibility indicators modelling for commuters moving through the municipalities of Sardinia, in Italy. In this case, spatial complex network analysis is integrated into the construction of accessibility measures: one of the most relevant outcomes of the first tool –the detection of shortest road paths and distances- is adopted as an input for the second in modelling accessibility indicators. Instead of Euclidean distances often adopted in the literature, shortest road distances are chosen, as commuting implies movements that are usually repeated daily and very likely subjected, even unconsciously, to space and time minimization strategies. In particular, two commuter accessibility indicators are constructed according to approaches based on a travel cost and a spatial interaction model with impedance function calibrated in exponential and in power form. The accessibility indicators are confronted each other and with relevant socio-economic and infrastructure characteristics of Sardinia. In addition, they are described, with respect to their spatial distribution and their different implications, when adopted in decision-making and planning. The travel cost based accessibility indicator has a municipal spatial distribution strongly influenced by the main road infrastructure of the Island. By contrast, spatial interaction model based accessibility indicators are more reliable, with respect to their capacity to confirm a leading socio-economic role of the municipalities comprehended in the metropolitan area of the capital town Cagliari

Potential applications of geospatial information systems for planning and managing aged care services in Australia

[Abstract]: This paper discusses the potential applications of Geospatial Information Technology (GITs) to assist in planning and managing aged care programs in Australia. Aged care is complex due to the numbers of participants at all levels of including planning of services, investing in capacity, funding, providing services, auditing, monitoring quality, and in accessing and using facilities and services. There is a vast array of data spread across the entities that are joined to aged care. The decision-making process for investment in capacity and service provision might be aided by technology including GIT. This is also expected to assist in managing and analysing the vast amount of demographic, geographic, socio-economic and behavioral data that might indicate current and future demand for services the aged and frail-aged population. Mapping spatio-temporal changes in near real time can assist in the successful planning and management of aged care programs. Accurate information on the location of aged care services centres and mapping the special needs of clients and their service needs may assist in monitoring access to services and assist in identifying areas where there are logistic challenges for accessing services to meet needs. GIT can also identifying migrations of aged people and of the cohorts of the population who are likely to be the next wave of clients for aged care services. GITs include remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) technologies, which can be used to develop a user friendly digital system for monitoring, evaluating and planning aged care and community care in Australia. Whilst remote sensing data can provide current spatiotemporal inventory of features such as locations of carer services, infrastructure, on a consistent and continuous coordinate system, a GIS can assist in storing, cross analysing, modeling and mapping of spatial data pertaining to the needs of the older people. GITs can assist in the development of a single one-stop digital database which will prove a better model for managing aged care in Australia. GIT will also be a component of technologies such as activity monitors to provide tracking functionality. This will assist in tracking dementia sufferers who may be prone to wandering and be exposed to risk